# Cooroy, Queensland

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Cooroy is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Cooroy had a population of 4,801 people.

## Geography

Cooroy is inland from the northern Sunshine Coast hinterland about 22 kilometres (14 mi) west of Noosa Heads. The Bruce Highway runs through the locality from south-east to north-west, bypassing the town. The Cooroy–Noosa Road exits to the east from Cooroy Connection Road, which runs north through the town from the Bruce Highway. West Cooroy National Park is located to west of Cooroy.

## History

Cooroy's name came from Mount Cooroy, which was originally called Coorooey, from an Aboriginal word for possum, kurui.
The area was explored by timber-cutters as early as 1863. Cooroy's main industry developed from timber, having two operating sawmills, into dairying and fruit growing. In 1915, a butter factory opened.
Cooroy was established as a township in 1885 and a land of 5,507 acres stretched westwards from Mount Cooroy.
Cooroy railway station was opened in 1891 and in the same year a post office opened. A town survey was conducted in 1907. In April 1908, 131 town lots on either side of the railway station were sold. Most lots were 1⁄4 acre (0.10 ha).
Cooroy State School opened on 18 January 1909 with 18 students under headmaster Robert Thorney Bolton. The school building was 7 by 5 metres (23 by 16 ft) with two verandas and a 1,000 imperial gallons (4,500 L; 1,200 US gal) water tank.
In February 1910, it was proposed to build a Methodist Church at Cooroy. In July 1911, a call for tenders to erect the church was issued. The stump-capping ceremony was held on Thursday 7 September 1911. The church was officially opened on Wednesday 31 January 1912 by Harry Walker, followed by a social evening to celebrate the following day. On 19 February 1949, the current church building opened and the 1911 church building became the church hall, having been relocated to the back of the site. With the amalgamation of the Methodist Church into the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977, it became the Cooroy Uniting Church.
Cooroy West State School opened in 1911. It closed in 1962.
The Anglican Church of the Holy Nativity was dedicated on 21 March 1914 by Archdeacon Henry Le Fanu. That church was destroyed by a cyclone on 19 February 1954. On Sunday 7 November 1954 Archbishop Reginald Halse dedicated the new church.
On 23 January 1961, a secondary department was added to Cooroy State School until the Cooroy State High School was opened as a separate school on 23 January 1963. In 1967, it was renamed Noosa District State High School. In 2007, Cooroora Secondary College at Pomona which was merged into Noosa District State High School, with the Pomona campus being used for the younger students and Cooroy campus being used for the older students.
On 23 April 1983, an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 people came together at the Picnic Racetrack in Cooroy for an Aussie live music extravaganza.
The Noosa Botanic Gardens were opened on the banks of Lake Macdonald near Cooroy in 1990.
In 1991, Noosa Shire Council purchased former Butter Factory buildings for use as a community centre which is now run by Cooroy Future Group as an arts centre.
The town was bisected by the Bruce Highway until a bypass was built in 1994.
Noosa Christian College opened on 28 January 2003 as a primary school with 37 students. In 2007, it expanded to offer secondary classes.
Between 2008 and 2013, Cooroy (and the rest of the Shire of Noosa) was within Sunshine Coast Region.
The Cooroy Library opened in 2010.
The Hinterland Adventure Playground was officially opened in Cooroy on 6 May 2022 by Noosa Shire's mayor Clare Stewart.
West Cooroy National Park was opened on 25 January 2023 on the western and southwestern outskirts of Cooroy.

## Demographics

In the 2016 census, the locality of Cooroy had a population of 3,791 people.
In the 2021 census, the locality of Cooroy had a population of 4,801 people.

## Heritage listings

Cooroy has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
* Lower Mill Road: Cooroy Lower Mill Site Kiln
* 33 Maple Street: Cooroy Post Office
* 14 Myall Street: Cooroy railway station

## Education

Cooroy State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at 59 Elm Street (26°24′50″S 152°54′41″E﻿ / ﻿26.4140°S 152.9114°E﻿ / -26.4140; 152.9114﻿ (Cooroy State School)). In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 545 students with 40 teachers (34 full-time equivalent) and 24 non-teaching staff (15 full-time equivalent). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 492 students with 39 teachers (32 full-time equivalent) and 30 non-teaching staff (19 full-time equivalent).
Noosa District State High School is a government secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at Tulip Street (26°25′27″S 152°54′37″E﻿ / ﻿26.4242°S 152.9102°E﻿ / -26.4242; 152.9102﻿ (Noosa District State High School)). In 2016, the school had a total enrolment of 1,335 students with 111 teachers (106 full-time equivalent) and 48 non-teaching staff (40 full-time equivalent). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 1274 students with 109 teachers (104 full-time equivalent) and 62 non-teaching staff (45 full-time equivalent).
Noosa Christian College is a private primary and secondary (Prep–12) school for boys and girls at 20 Cooroy Belli Creek Road (26°25′40″S 152°54′14″E﻿ / ﻿26.4278°S 152.9039°E﻿ / -26.4278; 152.9039﻿ (Noosa Christian College)). It is operated by Adventist Schools Australia. In 2016, the school had an enrolment of 243 students with 21 teachers (19.1 full-time equivalent) and 14 non-teaching staff. In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 252 students with 22 teachers (20 full-time equivalent) and 11 non-teaching staff (7 full-time equivalent).
Cooroy Community Kindergarten (CCK) is at 13–15 Maple Street.

## Amenities

Cooroy has a hotel, a police station, a golf club, a bowls club, the RSL club and sub branch. An overnight RV park has opened at Johnson Park.
The Shire of Noosa operates a library at 9 Maple Street.
Cooroy Pomona Uniting Church is at 51 Maple Street (26°25′13″S 152°54′33″E﻿ / ﻿26.4204°S 152.9092°E﻿ / -26.4204; 152.9092﻿ (Cooroy Pomona Uniting Church)).
The Cooroy branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the Cooroy Memorial Hall & School of Arts at 23 Maple Street.
Cooroy–Pomona RSL Sub-Branch is at 25 Maple Street.
The Hinterland Adventure Playground is in Marara Street (26°24′54″S 152°54′38″E﻿ / ﻿26.4149°S 152.9106°E﻿ / -26.4149; 152.9106﻿ (Hinterland Adventure Park)).

## Transport

Cooroy railway station is serviced by two daily Queensland Rail Citytrain network services in each direction and is also utilized by Queensland Rail Travel's long-distance Traveltrain services; the Spirit of Queensland between Brisbane to Cairns, the Spirit of the Outback between Brisbane to Longreach and the Bundaberg and Rockhampton Tilt Trains.

## Notable residents

* Major General John Cantwell, AO, DSC (Retd.) – former Deputy Chief of Army
* Marayke Jonkers – Bronze and Silver medal Paralympic swimmer